USB 3.0 port with VGA adapter to external monitor

[peeryquery]

Hello!  Hoping someone can help.

I have two external dell monitors and my end goal is to use them as extended displays with my HP laptop.

Both/either monitors work fine with the VGA cord plugged into an HDMI adapter and then plugged into the HDMI port of my HP Pavillion 1KT93UA#ABA laptop.

The laptop has two standard USB ports, an HDMI port and a USB 3.1c port.
I purchased a USB 3.1c to VGA adapter and tried to use it with the same VGA cord and same monitors - plugged the VGA cable into the adapter and then in to the 3.1c port, but nothing happened. Nothing was detected and the monitor stayed dark. For testing purposes, it's the same VGA cord as the one that connectes to the HDMI and works just fine.  Eventually, I'm hoping to have both external displays work - but for now, I'm just trying to get get the display to be recognized through the USB 3c port.  Updated bios and drivers.  That didn't help.  HP tech support thought it might be a VGA to USB compatiblity issue and that I should download an additional driver - but they didn't know where to find it.  Any ideas?

[KrazyToad]

@peeryquery

Welcome to HP Forums. This is a great place to get support, find answers and tips.

I have gone through your Post and I appreciate all your efforts

Please run a Hardware Diagnostic on the USB ports

- Hold the power button for at least five seconds to turn off the computer.
- Turn on the computer and immediately press Esc repeatedly, about once every second. 
- When the menu appears, press the F2 key.
- On the main menu, click Component Tests and System board / USB

Also ensure your Windows is up to date.

Select the Start  button, and then go to Settings  > Update & security  > Windows Update, and select Check for updates. If Windows Update says your device is up to date, you have all the updates that are currently available.

If the issue persists, Please check your private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Forums profile.

Next to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope
 

Thank you and have a good day 😊

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Solution Accepted" and this will also help other community members with similar issue.

[David_J_W]

The specification of your system says the USB-C port is "Data transfer up to 5Gb/s" but makes no mention of DisplayPort alternate mode support. If the adapter you have got in the inexpensive driverless type, that will only work on a USB-C port with DisplayPort alternate mode support.

The easiest way ahead will likely be to buy a DisplayLink adapter to connect one of your external monitors. I would hook the other up to the computer's HDMI port for better performance. A DisplayLink adapter is a USB connected display adapter that requires drivers and does not work from the system GPU.

If your monitors support any sort of digital input (DisplayPort, HDMI or the older DVI), I would use that in preference to VGA - the picture will likely be better quality that way. I would bear this in mind if you decide to purchase a DisplayLink adapter. You can get HDMI to DVI cables that you can use with the monitor connected to the HDMI port.